


Of Golden Retrievers and Farmers Markets

by SophisticatedCat



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute, Steve has a dog, farmers market, really just a cuteness dump, the farmers market au nobody asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 14:35:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6960952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophisticatedCat/pseuds/SophisticatedCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky has a brief run-in with a stranger at a farmers market. </p><p>He keeps going back, curious to see this person again and buying some produce (before eventually having another run in with the stranger {who is Steve btw}).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Golden Retrievers and Farmers Markets

Bucky’s jogging route didn’t make much sense. He looped around DC’s landmarks until he felt mild fatigue start to set in, then he’d work his way back to his apartment on Connecticut. Bucky was fairly new to the city, so he hadn’t quite created a routine for himself yet. He wan't really interested in routine. Each time he jogged, he found new places and enjoyed watching the crowds of both locals and tourists who were scattered throughout the city.

After a particularly stressful week, Bucky decided he’d jog around awhile longer than usual. 

While looping around the city’s streets aimlessly, Bucky jogged past a street filled with rows of white tents and slow-moving crowds. He turned back and walked toward the event, both curious and in need of a short break. 

Two rows of booths faced the street and created a narrow alley for the early customers. The sheer volume of colors, sounds, and foods made the event an assault on the senses. Yet there was something calming about it. There was an old-school simplicity to the market that Bucky could appreciate. 

Bucky skimmed past some stands before stopping at one, a fresh fruit stand, and began casually examining the food, not sure if he was interested in buying anything or not. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees them. A couple stalls down, a tall blond man is picking up jars to examine the labels. His left hand is wrapped around the leash of an adorable golden retriever puppy, who seems more interested in the passing crowds than whatever its owner is doing. Bucky has to fight to not openly gasp at the sight of the adorable puppy presumably owned by the gorgeous man. He unconsciously pulls his hand through his short hair, pushing the sweaty strands up out of his face. He looks down at his sweaty t-shirt and wishes he didn’t look (and probably smell) so gross right now.

Bucky is pulled from his internal lamenting of his grossness and is face to face (almost) with the blond. The taller man is pretty much perfect, Bucky thinks. His short blond hair is pushed up in the front, and he’s wearing an impossibly tight shirt and blue jeans. The shirt perfectly hugs his sculpted chest, arms, and abs. Bucky has to fight his natural instinct to stare, open mouthed at the stranger. 

“Oh sorry!” The man says nervously, putting on a polite smile despite the cringe in his eyes. The puppy had, apparently, run excitedly past Bucky, almost running its owner into him. 

The man is awkwardly trying to calm the puppy down without tripping Bucky in the leash. He manages to step around Bucky before turning back around to apologize again. 

“Oh no, it’s no problem.” Bucky manages to say. The puppy is gently jumping up at Bucky now, placing its paws gently but excitedly on his stomach. Bucky smiles and scratches between the dog’s ears. The puppy seems to like that, and sits on the pavement, its tale wagging emphatically. 

“What’s its name?” He asks the owner, who is also smiling at the now-calm puppy. 

“Milo”. He says. 

“Oh you’re so cute, Milo.” Bucky says in his goofy 'omg-it’s-a-puppy' voice. 

The stranger giggles at that.

“Well,” he says, looking at Bucky as he scratches Milo’s ears a last time, “we should get going.” 

It feels like somebody smacked Bucky in the head, shocking him harshly out of this perfect moment. “Oh.”

Milo looks up at Bucky quick before something else catches his eye and he’s tugging on the leash to go. 

“See you around?” the impossibly handsome stranger asks. 

“Yeah!” Bucky shouts after him, hopeful.

The crowd slowly envelops the puppy and his owner, and Bucky is alone again. 

He tries to stifle his ridiculous smile, before walking out of the market, and jogging home. It's not until he's halfway home that he realizes he doesn't have the stranger's name or number, just the name of his dog. If he could literally kick himself, he would.Once he gets to his apartment, he’s researching that farmer’s market. 

_Friday mornings, got it._

Bucky looks up at the clock, does some quick math, and decides he’ll go back next week at noon. Consciously, he doesn’t address why he decides to go back. It was just a nice market that he wants to check out again. 

The next week, Bucky goes for his jog at dawn, then heads home to shower and get dressed before going to the market. He pulls on his nicest, dark jeans and a plain v-neck t shirt. As Bucky runs some product through his hair to keep it tame, he pretends he isn’t putting any extra care into his appearance for any reason. 

The sun reflects brightly off the rows of white tents over the stalls. With every passing minute, the cool morning air gives way to the increasingly stifling summer heat. Bucky came prepared this time, armed with a reusable shopping bag and some cash in his wallet. 

Bucky is asking about the price of some fresh plums when he sees them in the corner of his eye. He notices the stranger before Milo. This time the blond is wearing glasses, but still blue jeans and a tauntingly tight shirt. 

Bucky’s pretty sure if this were a movie that the music would have swelled and perfect rays of light would ignite, surrounding them both in a golden glow. It’s not a movie, but the stranger notices him and smiles at him politely, a little pink blush rising to his cheeks. Bucky has to wonder if this man is even real.

Bucky smiles back. Just as he works up the courage to go talk to the stranger, a stall owner starts shouting, and produce rolls to the ground and at peoples' feet. Bucky turns to see what the hell is going on. Presumably, somebody stole something and the owner has given up on chasing him and returned to his stall, muttering in Greek under his breath. Everybody around is shocked out of their normal calm by the sudden ruckus, including Bucky.

Bucky quickly remembers his mission, and turns to the crowd to find the stranger and Milo. By the time Bucky looks to where the stranger was, not a minute ago, he's gone. Bucky scans the crowd some more, walking around as casually as possible. Cursing himself, Bucky admits defeat and starts the walk to the train. 

Bucky spends the next week regretting not getting that guy’s number, or even just a name. He feels kind of creepy obsessing like this, and decides he’s going to move on….so he tells himself. 

_I’m going to the market to support local agriculture._ Bucky tells himself the next Friday morning as he leaves his apartment.

This time, he is much more focused on the market than the crowd. He buys some artisan bread and some more fresh fruit, and gives some change to a man playing guitar on the corner. He only thinks of the stranger once, and that’s when another golden retriever and its owner walk past. 

Bucky is eyeballing a stall that sells brewed coffee when something huge and heavy hits his back. He completely loses his balance and lands on his hands and knees on the pavement. 

A couple people stop to offer him help, Bucky grabs a hand and pulls himself off of the ground. He rolls his shoulders and looks up. Once again, Bucky finds himself face to face with the beautiful stranger. 

“We can’t keep meeting like this.” Bucky manages, deciding to look down at Milo, who looks very pleased with himself and is wagging his tale and panting. 

“I’m so sorry about Milo, I don’t know what the hell's gotten into him.” The blonds blush gets redder with every word. 

“It’s totally fine.” Bucky says to the blond before looking down at Milo, “I forgive you.” 

Milo turns his head slightly, then looks up. Both men start to laugh at nothing in particular, glad the tension is somewhat alleviated. 

Bucky is suddenly aware of the full feeling in his chest. He offers his hand out to Steve. 

“I’m Bucky, by the way.” 

“Steve.” The stranger…Steve…grabs Bucky’s hand and shakes it. Bucky can’t help but notice Steve’s hands are soft and warm and strong. He’s fighting the urge to melt into a puddle right there. 

“Sorry I took off so awkwardly last week, but I was called into work y’know. I’d have loved to actually gotten to talk to you again.” 

“Yeah..it’s fine. I would have loved to talk to you too, maybe grab a coffee?” Bucky awkwardly stumbles through the sentence. It’s only by the end that he gathers himself and puts on his most charming smile and voice. When Steve smiles and nods Bucky thinks he actually got his message across, and his heart seems to flutter at the thought of Steve being interesting in spending time with him. 

“I think I owe you at least a coffee for trying to kill you with my dog” Steve jokes and the two of them (three counting Milo) walk to the stall selling coffee. 

The pair stand in line for a bit and chat comfortably about the best local coffeehouses before Bucky works up the nerve to ask “Can I get your number…you know, in case I decide to sue you for dog-related attempted-murder or something?”

Steve smiles that warm, genuine smile as he pulls out his phone. "I don't think that would hold up in a court of law."

_~1 year later~_

Bucky's left hand holds Milo's leash. The golden retriever sniffs around as they walk, drawn in and excited by the crowds and the rows of stalls. 

Bucky's right hand holds Steve's left. Steve's hand is warm and strong and familiar in his own. They walk in comfortable silence as they approach the farmers market. 

"We're almost out of blackberry jam." Steve tells his boyfriend as they stroll over to a stall. Steve's hand leaves Bucky's and he's examining the jars of preserves. Bucky looks down at Milo, who is sitting now, tail wagging happily. Steve chats with the stall owner a bit more before paying for the jam and turning away from the stall. 

Bucky grabs Steve's hand again and pulls him in for a soft kiss on the lips. When Bucky pulls away and opens his eyes, Steve is smiling at him. Bucky smiles back.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> As always not beta read. 
> 
> And this is based on my knowledge of farmer's markets (which I have quite a bit actually). Maybe farmer's markets in DC don't work like this idk. I've been meaning to write a farmers market au for 2 years. Finally, after seeing Cap3 (plum scene) I decided it had to be done. 
> 
> I made Bucky's apartment where enechelon on tumblr estimated Steve's apartment is in Cap2. 
> 
> I also pictured post-serum Steve and pre-Winter Soldier Bucky. 
> 
> ALSO, spot the Civil War and Atlantis references.


End file.
